A Boy for a Flower [Naruto Fanfiction]

Part 1 - III

It took three long days, but eventually we did find where Kabuto was hiding. Luckily, I didn’t hurt myself too badly on the way; didn’t get attacked by anyone; or run out of soldier pills and water before I made it. I was extremely lucky as well that I had the dog—whose name was Spanky-chan—with me because I wouldn’t have found any food or even had gotten close to where the jerk Kabuto was hiding. I was only kind of hungry and smelling at most, nothing really to complain about. I tried to take baths when I could.

The scent that Spanky-chan had followed led us to a really barren area, with rocks larger than houses scattered everywhere. There wasn’t a soul around for miles; probably what Kabuto wanted. Some solitude to do whatever the heck he wanted in the hospitals he worked in to do who knows what to who knows who. The sun seemed pretty dim in this particular area, probably due to the haze that was swept off the ground covering it like a blanket. Eagles soared high up in the sky, often shouting their call proudly. There was sand in my shoes by the time Spanky-chan had told me that the trail went through a rock. It was so itchy, it took everything within my power to withhold scratching it furiously. Spanky-chan even turned a darker white with all the sand leaping into his rich fur. The ground was cracked like dry lips. This area probably didn’t get that much rain unlike the Hidden Village of Waterfall; which I was totally unused to seeing as I was as dry as a bone and nearly drank the rest of my water in an instant.

“Spanky-chan, where’s the entrance?” I asked him with the upmost solemnity. Finally, I would confront that stupid Kabuto loser that stole all the Waterfall Maidens and almost my village from me. If he hadn’t come, I wouldn’t have had to be there. Though... I thought, depressed, if he hadn’t come, I would’ve drowned... Quickly, I shook my head of that thought. He didn’t need to save me! I would’ve figured something out.

“The scent goes over here...,” Spanky-chan trotted over toward a giant rock that was twice the size of myself. That was to say, I wasn’t that tall, but still, it was a pretty giant rock. Spanky-chan inspected it from all angles, trying to find the entrance. I stood behind him, resting the rest of my supplies on a nearby rock.

“Is there some sort of switch to activate it?” I wondered.

“Probably.” Spanky-chan said, wandering all over the place, “Help me find it.” For some time, Spanky-chan and I searched high and low for the switch. A few minutes had passed, and we found nothing. Just rocks, rocks and... well, rocks. Spanky-chan sniffed for human and/or Kabuto’s scent that pressed something recently, but all he smelled was, I quote: ‘The gnarly smell of snakes.’ I didn’t really know what snakes smelled like, but from that I was pretty sure it wasn’t anything good.

“It’s strange, though...,” Spanky-chan said, trailing off. I curiously looked at him, as he turned to me as well, a confused air about him, “...why would there be such a plentiful scent of snakes gathered around here? There’s not even a nest...,” Walking toward Spanky-chan, I noticed that he was right. There wasn’t a nest; not even a noticeable snake skin laying there.

“Maybe the skin is transparent,” I suggested, extending my hand toward it. When I placed my hand upon the smooth rock face, I suddenly jerked forward a bit, shrieking a bit in surprise. There was a hiss sound in the distance and I noticed Spanky-chan’s tail start to wag when he turned around. Quickly turning to see myself, I noticed that the rock Spanky-chan said where the entrance was, was beginning to open up to darkness.

“Good job, Kei!” Spanky-chan congratulated, “Let’s head in now before someone notices that the door’s open.” With that, Spanky-chan and I ran silently into the entrance, greeting by no one but the darkness that was seen from outside. 

It was so black in the place, I couldn’t see the hand in front of my face. That was why I often accidentally kicked Spanky-chan who was in front of me. As we tiptoed farther inside, the door suddenly slammed shut, causing me to jump with fright. I hadn’t expected it to shut that fast! Steadying my rapidly beating heart, I continued to step silently behind Spanky-chan, making sure I didn’t hit him again.